Sen. Jika wants effective and proper training for the Police Force

In order to re-position and enhance police effectiveness through proper training and in consonance with the dictates of international best practices, a bill for an to provide for the establishment of the Nigeria Police Academy as a degree awarding institution sponsored by Senator Halliru D. Jika, Wednesday, scaled second reading on the floor of the Senate.
Sen. Jika, who is representing Bauchi Central senatorial district, said that the bill to establish the Nigeria Police Academy, seeks to give legal backing to the academy which took off in 1988, simultaneously at two temporary campuses, namely: the Police Training School, Challawa, Kano, here cadet Inspectors were trained; and the Police College, Kaduna, where cadet ASPs were trained.
According to him, the two campuses were merged and the Academy relocated to its permanent site in Wudil, Kano, after its formal commissioning on April 2, 1996, by then Head of State, General Sani Abacha, with the expectation that the academy will be affiliated to a University for degree awarding courses.
He, however, added that the Federal Government upgraded the Academy to a degree – awarding institution and the National Universities Commission, accordingly, recognized the Academy as the thirty-seventh Federal University and One hundred and twenty-fourth University in Nigeria.
He lamented that in spite of that, the training institution is yet to be backed by any law, thereby exposing certificates and degrees awarded by the Academy to non-recognition both nationally and internationally.
“It is the recognition of the inappropriateness of the absence of a legal framework for the Nigeria Police Academy and the urgent need to reposition and enhance police effectiveness through proper training as means of fighting the seemingly intractable challenge of insecurity in our country that has necessitated the proposed enactment of a new law to strengthen the Nigeria Police Academy, in consonance with the dictates of international best practices.
“Nigeria needs an institution capable of producing qualitative, skilled and intelligent officers able to meet the manpower needs of its Police Force.
“The present security challenges in many parts of our country and the complexities of modern policing make it imperative that Nigeria continues to have a stream of middle level officers equipped with competences, backed by sound academic background, high professional and moral standards into its Police Force, for effective law enforcement and selfless service to the nation,” Jika said.
The lawmaker further stated that the bill captures the encouragement of advancement in learning and availing the cadets of Nigeria Police Force, without distinction of race, creed, sex or political affiliation, the opportunity of acquiring a higher and liberal education.
He also mentioned that bill will go through all legislative process, as critical stakeholders will be invited for their contributions in order to have a workable document that is in agreement with yearning of the public.